GREENSBORO, N.C. — Some Triad businesses saw strong sales as eased coronavirus restrictions took effect over the weekend.
Downtown Greensboro Incorporated CEO Zack Matheny said some business owners reported close to pre-COVID-19 sales during a call Monday morning.
"It's still by and large not as good as if we were not in a pandemic but business owners feel better about the trajectory of where they're going," Matheny said.
Governor Cooper announced the state's Stay-At-Home order would be lifted last week. It came as the state sees declining coronavirus trends.
The eased restrictions mean gyms, museums, aquariums, barbers, pools, outdoor amusement parks, retail establishments, restaurants, breweries and wineries may now open at 50 percent capacity with health and safety protocols.
Bars and movie theaters can now open indoors at 30 percent capacity.
"I feel very blessed and fortunate because a lot of restaurants did not make it through," Anthony Knotts said.
Knotts owns Seafood Destiny in Greensboro.
The new statewide rules allow restaurants and bars to stay open until 11 p.m. Knotts said his restaurant will continue to close at 9 but the increased indoor capacity did help.
"Because of the popularity of our restaurant we had more people calling and wanting to make online reservations or we had some walk ins come in, a lot more walk ins who were wanting to do dine in," Knotts said.
The statewide easing of restrictions meant longer hours and higher capacity not just for bars and restaurants in Greensboro but around the Triad.
Fair Witness Cocktail Bar in Winston-Salem saw sales double over the weekend.
"It was everything I was hoping it would be and none of the things I was worried it would be, so that's fantastic. I think it's great to be on equal footing again with other establishments," Bar owner Blake Stewart said.
Knotts said profits feel good but are not the only consideration.
"A lot of customers are real concious about COVID-19," Knotts said.
He thinks safety should be top of mind even with falling case numbers, vaccines and eased restrictions.